Applicator



March 19, 1963 Filed May 23. 1960 J. F. HANLON APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 REUSABLE MOP HOLDER D/SPOSABLE MOP HEAD INVENTOR. JOSEPH F HA/VLO/V ATTORNEY March 19, 1963 Filed May 23. 1960 J. F. HANLON APPLIC'ATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D/SPOSABLE MOP HEAD FIG 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH F HA/VLON BY m wl/M ATTORNEY United States. Patent 3,081,479 APPLICATOR Joseph F. Hanlon, Trenton, N.J., assignor to American Cyanamid Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine Filed May 23, 1960, Ser. No. 30,880 3 Claims. (Cl. 15506) This invention relates to an applicator of the type suitable for use in the shampooing of rugs and other fabric surfaces, as well as being suited for use for the cleaning of linoleum and tile floors, walls, and similar surfaces.

Numerous devices are commercially available for the shampooing of rugs. These are primarily reuseable devices as distinguished from disposable devices. Certain of these reuseable devices have a mop-like handle and a refillable reservoir for liquid shampoo or detergent attached thereto. Such devices are employed by dipping a brush or a sponge at the end of the mop-like handle into a pail of water and allowing a small amount of the shampoo to flow from the reservoir onto the sponge. The shampoo mixes with the sponge and water, as the sponge is rubbed back and forth over the surface to be shampooed. The amount of shampoo flowing to the sponge usually depends upon a metering valve or a manually Operated valve. In addition to the fact that the results achieved I with such devices vary widely, these devices are comparatively expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator device of the type suitable for use in the shampooing of rugs and other surfaces that is simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive in cost, is free from the presence of reservoirs for liquids, metering valves, and the like, which render the results that can be achieved with such devices unpredictable, and the devices themselves costly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an applicator device for shampooing rugs, which may be considered as being disposable or semi-disposable. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereof set forth herein below and by reference to the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 of which is an exploded view of one shampoo applicator device c0ntemplated by the present invention, FIGURE 2 of which is an exploded view of another embodiment of a'mop head of this invention, FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the mop head of FIGURE 2 assembled, and FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the assembled mop head of FIG- URE 2.

The simplest combination in the present invention is a mop head suitable for use in a shampooing device which mop head comprises a housing of a flexible molded sponge having a flexible spongeous reservoir therein. The said flexible spongeous reservoir contains a substantially anhydrous organic, non-saponaceous detergent.

The housing of flexible molded sponge material is preferably made of flexible polyurethane foam since these materials resist abrasion in the use contemplated, are free of odors, dry rapidly and are economical. While polyurethane ethers are greatly preferred, polyurethane esters, polystyrenes, foam rubber and the like having suitable flexibility, density, cell size and other essential characteristics may be employed in lieu thereof. The polyurethane foams are in general prepared by reacting a polyisocyanate with polymers of the esters, or, the ethers of other families. When such materials are mixed in suitable proportions under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure, carbon dioxide is evolved, which causes the mixture to expand or foam to many times ice their original volume. Polyurethane ether foams are produced commercially today on a large scale and find uses in the aircraft, automotive, packaging and clothing industry and in numerous other fields. Suitable polyurethane foams within the contemplation of this invention may be prepared in accordance with the text Polyurethanes by Dombrow, Copyright 1957 by Reinhold Publishing Corporation.

The polyurethane ethers are in general preferred as compared with polyurethane esters in that the latter are subject to attack by strong alkali, a material which the mop heads of this invention may come in contact with.

The polyurethane foams suitable in use in the present invention are characterized by a density of between about 1 and about 20 pounds per cubic foot, and an average porosity of between about 20' and pores per lineal inch. Preferably the polyurethane foams have an average porosity of between about 30 and 60 pores per lineal inch and a density between 1 and 5 pounds per cubic foot.

Preferably, a special relationship exists between the porosity of the housing foam and that of the reservoir. Thus, the reservoir is preferably less dense than the housing and particularly that portion of the latter which comes in contact with the surface being shampooed. Thus, while the foamed or spongeous housing may have between 30 and 70 pores per lineal inch (preferably 40 to 60 pores), the reservoir may have from between 20 and 60 pores per lineal inch (preferably 30 to 50 pores) and preferably about 10 pores per inch less than the foam of the housing. This arrangement allows for the shampoo formulation or detergent to migrate from the reservoir more readily to the housing foam, where a more dense or finely porous material controls the migration of the detergent to the surface to be shampooed.

It should be noted that the density of the reservoir may be of the same order of magnitude as the housing sponge, although the pore size may be dilferent.

In the present specification and claims, reference to the average number of pores per lineal inch refers to the average number of pores per lineal inch for a given piece of cut sponge or flexible foam material. Thus, it should be noted that if the housing sponge were a molded piece, the surface texture of the housing would tend to be more dense with fewer pores per lineal inch than a cut section of the same sponge. Thus, the outside surface of a molded sponge might have in the range of 10 pores per lineal inch, while a cut section of the same sponge may have from 20 or more pores per lineal inch.

The flexible spongeous reservoir may be made of polyurethane ether referred to above, and preferably is, and it may be of a material difierent from that employed in the flexible housing of molded sponge material.

The housing, as will be seen in the figures of the accompanying drawings, to be described more fully hereinafter, is preferably of rectangular configuration and may have a centrally disposed longitudinally extending channel cut therein. Such a channel or opening may be cut from the housing sponge or may be molded therein. The bottom surface of the housing sponge may, if desired, be mechanically altered as by abrading, scoring, or slitting the surface thereof, or by molding said bottom surface so as to provide a plurality of knobs, teeth or protrusions therefrom which would be effective in aiding the shampooing action to be hereinafter described.

Into the channel in the housing sponge portion of the device, the flexible spongeous reservoir is positioned. A suitable sponge reservoir would be one cut to like size and configuration to that of the channel in the housing sponge component. The reservoir may be slightly larger than the channelled slot in the housing and thereby firmly fixed therein by a friction fit or it may be adhesively secured'therein by means of a suitable water ininsoluble glue or adhesive.

In an alternate mop head, such as shown in FIGURES 24 to be described more fully hereinafter, a suitable impregnated reservoir is inserted between upper and lower spongeous or foamed housing members, the upper or lower housing members being sealed together at their peripheral edges either by heat or a suitable adhesive.

Before insertion into the housing of the mop head of this invention, the reservoir is impregnated with a suitable shampoo or detergent formulation and is then allowedto dry. The impregnation may be accomplished by permitting. the reservoir to soak up a shampoo formulation to a predetermined weight concentration after which it is permitted to dry before insertion in the housing, sponge. The predetermined amount of shampoo formulation employed to impregnate the sponge reservoir may be an amount which is sufficient to shampoo a given area of surface and may be determined empirically.

The shampoo formulation contemplated for use in impregnating the sponge reservoir are principally organic, non-saponaceous detergents; however, such formulations may in addition contain brighteners, disinfectants, odors or-perfumers and other ingredients.

By the term organic non-saponaceous detergent as that term is employed herein, it is meant those detergents or wetting agents normally so classified, including the non-ionic, cationic and anionic materials.

Among the various wetting agents or detergents which may constitute the principal component of the shampoo formulations are the various alkyl esters of alkali metal salts of sulfosuccinic acids. These esters may be the alkali metal salts of dialkyl sulfosuccinates of the type described in US. Patent No. 2,028,091 in which the alkyl groups contain from between and 18 carbon atoms, and preferably from between 5 and 13 carbon atoms, and in which the hydrogen atoms of the sulfosuccinic acid group is replaced by an alkali metal cation, such as sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, or an organic base, such as ethanolamine. As suitable examples of such wetting agents, the following are illustrative: sodium diamylsulfosuccinate, sodium dihexylsulfosuccinate, sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate, sodium bis (Z-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate, sodium bis tridecylsulfosuccinate, and the like. It should be noted that the alkyl chain may be normal or branched, depending upon the alcohol employed. In addition to the dialkylsulfosuccinates of the type exemplified above, monoalkylsulfosuccinates are contemplated, as for example, those in which but a single alkyl group appears in the molecule, while the second such group found in the dialkylester is replaced by an alkali metal cation, such as sodium, potassium, ammonium, or the like. In addition, diesters of sulfosuccinic acid in which the alkyl groups are replaced by alkyl aryl groups, containing from 5 to 20 carbon atoms are contemplated, as for example, sodium bis (nonylphenoxyethyl) sulfosuccinate. Compounds of this latter class are described in general in US. Patent No. 2,507,030. Further, monoalkylaryloxysulfosuccinates are contemplated as for example, disodium mono(nonylphenoxyethyl) sulfosuccinate as are suitable polymers of these materials, as for example sodium poly (2-ethylhexylene) sulfosuccinate, such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,637,663, 2,489,943, and 2,454,546.

In addition to the above anionic detergents other suitable anionic detergents, such as sodium laurylsulfate, sodium octadecylglycol sulfate, sodium heptadecyl sulfate, sodium octydecanol (0x0 process alcohol) sulfate, sodium hydrocarbon (C to C sulfate, sodium alkyl (C to C benzene sulfonate, sodium alkyl (C to C toluene sulfonate, sodium alkyl phenoxyethyl sulfate, sodium stearoyloxy propyloxy sulfate and sodium polyethylene glycol stearate sulfate.

In addition to the anionic detergents, the cationic detergent, the principal classes of which are the quaternaries, are fully contemplated. Thus, for example, cetyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride may be employed.

Non-ionic detergents may also be employed, as for example, tall oil ethylene oxide condensates, tall 011 ethanolamide ethylene oxide condensates, nonylphenoxyethylene oxide condensates, propylene glycol polyethylene glycol condensates, alkylpropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol condensates, and the like.

These wetting agents or their equivalents may be employed singly or in combination with one another where compatible. In general, the anionic and nonionic agents may be employed in combination, as well as the cationic and non-ionic agents.

The present invention will now be illustrated and described in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Thus, in FIGURE 1, a rectangular housing of flexible polyurethane ether foam 1, for purposes of illustration having outside dimensions of 8 inches in length, 3 inches in width, and 2 inches in thickness is provided with a longitudinally extended slot, or channel 2, which is centrally positioned in the upper surface of housing sponge 1 and, for purposes of illustration, is characterized by a length of 6% inches, a Width of 1 /2 inches and a depth of 1 /2 inches. An impregnated pliable or flexible reservoir sponge of polyurethane ether foam 3 having grams of sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate detergent, and trace amounts of brighteners incorporated therein, and characterized by outside dimensions slightly in excess of those centrally disposed longitudinal slot, or channel 2, is frictionally fitted into said slot 2. This amount of detergent should be sufficient to shampoo a 9' x 12 rug. Screws or bolts 4 are positioned in longitudinally extended slots 5 in rigid metal plate 6, lengths and widths, oroutside dimensions of which are slightly less than the outside dimensions of the housing sponge 1. The difference in the length and width of the metal plate 6 is such that there is sufficient overhang of the housing sponge that the device may be readily employed on surfaces such as floors having furniture positioned thereon, without danger of marking or marring the same. Plate 6 may be secured to housing sponge 1 by a suitable Water insoluble adhesive, and metal holder 7, preferably of the same outside dimensions as plate 6 and has holes 8 centrally positioned therein, and in alignment with longitudinally extending slots 5 of metal plates 6. In assembly, bolts 4 extend through slots 5 and through holes 8 and are secured to holder 7 by Wingnuts 9 by the tightening of which the disposable mop head unit is securely attached to the holder. Handle 10 (wood, metal, or plastic) having threads 11 at its terminal end is then screwed into shoulder 12 extending upwardly from the upper surface of holder 7 and having a complementary interior threaded surface 13. This completes the assembly. As an alternative, mop handle 10 may be positioned in shoulder 12 by a simple friction fit.

It will be seen from FIGURE 1 that the mop head, when the reservoir has exhausted its detergent, may be discarded and replaced, for example, by a mop head of similar construction. Of course, the mop could remain intact for Wet mopping operations.

FIGURES 2 through 4 illustrate an alternative disposable mop head within the purview of this invention in which a reservoir sponge element 15 impregnated with a shampoo formulation or detergent composition and then sealed between an upper housing member 16 and a lower housing member 17, which members are sealed at their peripheral edges as by heat or a suitable water-insoluble adhesive. Positioned between housing members 16 and 17 and upon the upper surface of reservoir sponge 15 is a metal plate 18 of outside dimensions corresponding to that of reservoir 15 having longitudinal slots 19. Carriage bolts 20 extend upwardly through longitudinal slots 19 and in an assembled unit have wing nuts 21 positioned thereon. It will be appreciated that such a mop head is adapted to be employed with various reusable mop holders such as are exemplified in FIGURE 1. Thus, in such an assemblage, upwardly extending carriage bolts 20 would be positioned through holes 8 of holder 7 of FIGURE 1 and the holder securely fastened thereto by means of Wing nuts 21. A disposable mop head, such as shown in FIGURES 2-4, may for example be 12 inches in length, 3 inches in width and 3 inches in depth.

A device of this invention, such as illustrated in FIG- URE l, is employed by dipping the mop head in Water and rubbing it on the surface to "be cleaned or shampooed. The impregnation of the housing sponge and the reservoir causes the solubilizing of the detergent formulation and causes the detergent to migrate from the reservoir sponge to the housing sponge and to the outside surface thereof. By rubbing the device on the surface to be cleaned, soil is removed therefrom and is usually suspended in the resulting detergent foam. The continual dipping of the applicator into water or solvent results in the continuous migration of the detergent or shampoo formulation to the outer surface areas of the housing sponge providing a constant and uniform flow of detergent to the working surface of the device.

This uniform rate ofrnigration of the detergent to the working surface is effected by controlling the porosity of the housing sponge and, preferably, also controlling the porosity of the reservoir sponge in accordance with the description set forth hereinabove. In this connection it has been determined that, when the housing or reservoir sponge elements have about pores per lineal inch, the migration of the shampoo is too rapid and the sponge is readily broken down in use. The migration achieved when the number of pores per lineal inch is upwards of 70 is in many instances too slow to be effective for general utility.

While in the description of the instant invention, it has been limited to a single useful device, it should be kept in mind that many modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Thus, for example, a suitable housing sponge may have a series of longitudinally extended reservoir sponge elements positioned therein.

I claimas my invention:

1. A shampooing device comprising a housing of a flexible molded polyurethane ether foam sponge, said housing sponge being characterized by a high degree of porosity within the range of between and 60 pores per lineal inch and having a recessed channel therein adapted to receive a flexible spongeous reservoir of like size and configuration, said spongeous reservoir being characterized by a porosity Within the range of between 30 and pores per lineal inch, and being impregnated with a substantially anhydrous organic non-saponaceous detergent, a rigid plate secured to the upper surface of said housing sponge and means to secure said plate to a handle holding means.

2. A shampooing device according to claim 1, in which the recessed channel is of rectangular configuration and is centrally positioned in the housing sponge and the flexible spongeous reservoir sponge is a sponge of polyurethane ether foam.

3. A shampooing device comprising a mop head hav ing a housing of a flexible molded sponge of polyurethane ether foam, said housing sponge comprising an upper member and a lower member sealed at the peripheral edges, said lower member being characterized by a porosity Within the range of between 30 and 70 pores per lineal inch, said housing sponge having positioned therein a reservoir sponge impregnated With an anhydrous nonsaponaceou-s detergent, said reservoir sponge being characterized by a porosity of between 20 and pores per lineal inch, a rigid plate within said housing sponge and means to secure said mop head through said plate to handle holder means. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,107,636 Kingman Feb. 8, 1938 2,133,805 Brown Oct. 18, 1938 2,317,662 Zimmerman Apr. 27, 1943 2,591,481 Webster Apr. 1, 1952 2,899,697 Kohrn et a1. Aug. 18, 1959 3,002,937 Parker et al. Oct. 3, 1961 

1. A SHAMPOOING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING OF A FLEXIBLE MOLDED POLYURETHANE ETHER FOAM SPONGE, SAID HOUSING SPONGE BEING CHARACTERIZED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF POROSITY WITHIN RANGE OF BETWEEN 40 AND 60 PORES PER LINEAL INCH AND HAVING A RECESSED CHANNEL THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A FLEXIBLE SPONGEOUS RESERVOIR OF LIKE SIZE AND CONFIGURATION, SAD SPONGEOUS RESERVOIR BEING CHARACTER- 